August 15, 2012 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Kenneth L. Miller, a Mennonite pastor who helped a little girl and her mother to flee the United States to escape the girl’s court-imposed lesbian “mother,” has been convicted on the charge of “aiding and abetting a parental kidnapping.”

A Vermont jury returned the verdict yesterday after only four hours of deliberation. He is free while awaiting sentencing, which could bring a punishment of up to three years in prison. Miller’s attorney, Joshua M. Autry, says he is considering an appeal.

Following the verdict, lesbian Janet Jenkins filed a civil suit against Miller for his role in the escape, which Miller says includes charges of racketeering and includes “ten other people and organizations.”

Ex-lesbian Lisa Miller, who is not related to Kenneth Miller, fled the country with Kenneth Miller’s help after her efforts failed to keep Jenkins from having access to her child, Isabella. Jenkins never adopted Isabella and has no biological relationship with the girl, who exhibited signs of emotional trauma following forced visits with Jenkins, according to experts who observed her.

Isabella was conceived by artificial insemination while Jenkins and Miller were in a Vermont “civil union,” which was dissolved in 2003. Following the end of her relationship, Miller returned to the Baptist religion of her youth and consequently disavowed homosexual behavior. She has raised Isabella with the same values.

In a letter to a supporter attributed to Kenneth Miller and posted on the Turtle Bay and Beyond blog by Wendy Wright of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, Kenneth Miller responds to the verdict with serenity and resolve.

“What about all those prayers around the world today that didn’t get answered. Or did they get answered. Brother I say yes, a thousand times YES they got answered,” writes Miller. “For one, I and my family have felt so incredibly lifted up by all those prayers around the world that we are able to be irrationally happy in the middle of a conviction and now a civil action lawsuit.”

“Just after the verdict was read, while we were sitting there trying to absorb it all, [Janet Jenkins’ attorney] Sara Starr, bless her (and I mean that) walked over to the defense table where I was still sitting and served me another thick legal document which charges me along with about 10 other people and organizations with various racketeering etc. charges in regards to Isabella’s disappearance. That should have finished me off, but instead I felt irrationally calm and at peace. Right now I’m just about ready to head off to bed for a good night’s sleep. And I intend to sleep real good.”

Supporters of Kenneth Miller are informing the public about the trial and raising money for his defense at the website Millercase.org.